This article is a part of the 2020 SMDR Year in Review series.
Sean Huiet’s head coaching career was burdened with obstacles almost from the moment he took over the Texas State program. He didn’t let it stop him from getting the players to where they wanted to be.
The Bobcats earned a 24-2 record in 2020 but its second loss cost them the Sun Belt regular season championship. Huiet helped the team return to form in the league tournament, dropping just three sets in four matches. Texas State took down Coastal Carolina in the conference final, 3-2, to earn its third-straight title and finished the year ranked 11th in the American Coaches Volleyball Association (AVCA) Coaches Poll.
Huiet’s strong first season as leader of the maroon and gold earns him the Daily Record’s 2020 Coach of the Year honor.
Honorable Mentions:
San Marcos Academy Football’s Les Davis
Davis had the tall task this year of getting his team to adjust from 11-man to six-man football. Yet, he still led the Bears to their second consecutive playoff appearance.
SMA finished the regular season going 5-3 and reached the TAPPS semifinals before falling to the Texas School for the Deaf.
San Marcos Wrestling’s Garvin Smith
The Rattlers’ wrestling team put itself on the map under Smith’s guidance last season, sending five qualifiers — Matt Banda, Caitlin Hagerty, Gianna and Mason Moreno, and Chris Soliz — to the 2020 6A UIL State Championship tournament.
Smith helped Mason break the school’s all-time wins record with 134 and will look to build on last year’s success with both Gianna and Banda returning for their senior seasons.
San Marcos Volleyball’s Jared Te’o
Te’o has already left his mark on the Lady Rattlers after taking over the program just a few months ago. Te’o brought in guest speakers over the summer to talk to his players about what it takes to win, rearranged the lineup and motivated the team through a tough 2-3 start to the season.
San Marcos bounced back, winning seven of its next eight matches, securing its first playoff berth since 2017 and its first postseason victory since 2001.
Texas State Baseball’s Steven Trout
Trout’s first year as the Bobcats’ head coach may have been cut short, but he proved to be the right man for the job after the retirement of Ty Harrington.
Texas State posted a 14-4 record during the 2020 season, half of its wins coming on a 7-0 streak that included mercy rulings of both Baylor and UTSA. The team’s .778 win percentage ranked highest in the Sun Belt and tied for 26th in the country. Trout and the Bobcats didn’t get the chance to defend their regular season championship, but will have the chance to do so this year with all but two players returning from last season’s roster.
